I just want to make sure I get a longer screw and wasn't sure how to look up this exact screw size based on any of the diagrams? If there is a link to a diagram that would be great (sorry if I missed it).
11.1KVIEWS
18REPLIES
18APPRECIATES
12ACTIVE PEOPLE
03-25-2026LAST POST
I just want to make sure I get a longer screw and wasn't sure how to look up this exact screw size based on any of the diagrams? If there is a link to a diagram that would be great (sorry if I missed it).
My wife is pretty short and I am considering this for her.
DBV wroteI'm with you. I can't get the seat low enough. In previous cars I've set my seat height to look out of the vertical middle of the windshield. In my X5 with the seat as low as it can go, I'm looking out 2/3 of the way up.Serious question: Did you guys get the only X5s without power seats or something? When I was cleaning the other day, I personally found the max raised position of the front seats very high. I'm genuinely curious...
omasou wroteHopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?
omasou wroteWhat do you mean? Strength of the bolt? I just used something from Lowes (Home Depot)Hopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?
keeva381 wroteI if you used washers as spacers and cheap home depot hardware I would remove it all before you drive again.omasou wroteHopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?omasou wroteWhat do you mean? Strength of the bolt? I just used something from Lowes (Home Depot)Hopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?
I'd be willing to bet those cheap bolts do not have the required shear strength to meat crash standards.
Also now that the seat is resting on stacks of washers instead of the brackets, as designed, the rigidity of the assembly has been compromised.
This is very dangerous.
keeva381 wroteBolts are made in different grades. A bolt like that should be of a high grade.omasou wroteHopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?omasou wroteWhat do you mean? Strength of the bolt? I just used something from Lowes (Home Depot)Hopefully you used the proper grade bolt and not just something from Home Depot?
The issue is you don't want the bolt to shear in an accident and have the seat and you shift or worse become disconnected.
If you cannot determine from the factory bolt. Call a vendor that sells race seats and ask them the proper grade and the proper way to raise the seat height.
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/grades-of-bolts/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90189731df8
keeva381 i agree with others here. while your modification may increase comfort and line of sight, it screams safety concerns with the use of questionably-rated bolts and raising on spacers where you've increased the lever-effect making it much easier for the seat to separate from the rack (much like how the back of a hammer easily removes a nail).
I appreciate all the help. I've bought spacer kits for other cars. I do have a safety concern with visibility but obviously I want to be safe with the proper bolts.M10-1.5 and I ended up putting in 50mm length
Does anyone know where you can get the "highest" grade bolts now that I know size/length? I don't mind paying a premium for the best grade bolts out there. Sounds like the HD/Lowes option might not be high enough grade.
keeva381 wroteWhen researching bolt grades don't confuse NA and Metric grades they are not equivlanet.I appreciate all the help. I've bought spacer kits for other cars. I do have a safety concern with visibility but obviously I want to be safe with the proper bolts.
Does anyone know where you can get the "highest" grade bolts now that I know size/length? I don't mind paying a premium for the best grade bolts out there. Sounds like the HD/Lowes option might not be high enough grade.
Maybe talk with Recaro and see what grade they use? Guessing they will tell you not to modify your seat base but may tell you about their baseframes and hardware.
Guessing the proper way to modify is by installing a higher base frame but also guessing no-one makes one.
Personally, I wouldn't mess w/the factory mounting, especially the way it mounts to the floor but good luck.
misterbc wroteYes. Has anyone been able to lower the seat into a more "cockpit" style arrnagement?? I would really like to know if that is possible for an X5? I came from a Cayenne S seating and I gotta say, IMHO, the seating style and positioning of that car is far better than the X5.I'm with you. I can't get the seat low enough. In previous cars I've set my seat height to look out of the vertical middle of the windshield. In my X5 with the seat as low as it can go, I'm looking out 2/3 of the way up.
mobsync wrotewhat seat adjustment options do you have? #6 'seat tilt' would accomplish what you want though not 2" worthDoes anyone know of a good way to raise the front of the drivers seat while leaving the rear part of the seat alone? I would like for my knees to be about two inches more higher than my hips than they currently are.
nZtiZia wroteThanks for the post - I promise if the seat adjustment was able to be reached via the controls,I wouldn’t have posted here!what seat adjustment options do you have? #6 'seat tilt' would accomplish what you want though not 2" worth
keeva381 wroteStock bolts are grade 10.9 (It should be stamped on the head of the bolt). Metric hardware typically comes in 8.8, 10.9, or 12.9 for steel bolts.I appreciate all the help. I've bought spacer kits for other cars. I do have a safety concern with visibility but obviously I want to be safe with the proper bolts.
Does anyone know where you can get the "highest" grade bolts now that I know size/length? I don't mind paying a premium for the best grade bolts out there. Sounds like the HD/Lowes option might not be high enough grade.
RealOEM.com has all the vehicle parts diagrams. The stock bolt is p/n 07149321690 which is listed as M10 x 28mm long. If you're adding an inch of spacer (25.4mm) you can probably get away with 50mm bolts since some of the thread is usually sticking past the end of the nut but you could use 55mm long bolts to be safe.
McMaster.com has all kinds of hardware and a pretty easy interface to drill down to exactly the size and strength of bolt you need. For a socket head cap screw, they only have 12.9 grade bolt in 55mm long. You might also want a washer to replicate the flanged head of the stock bolt.
https://www.mcmaster.com/91290A219/
While washers and longer bolts will likely work, you could also have a bracket made to the height you want out of heavy gauge square bar so you are sitting on a more substantial base for the seat. What you are doing will work though.
I too want to lower my seat height but because I move from a wheelchair into the seat and height is always a problem when going up hill. I am going to have to look into this problem because according to the information I could find the seat height is this; for inches divide the mm by 25.4...see example
Min seat edge to ground - driver 752mm (752/25.4 = 29.6 inches)
Max seat edge to ground - driver 824mm
Legroom getting in - Driver 1065mm
Headroom when getting in (seat edge to top of door) - driver 764mm
Min seat edge to ground - passenger 754mm
Max seat edge to ground - passenger 824mm
Legroom getting in - Passenger 1066mm
Headroom when getting in (seat edge to top of door) - passenger 755mm
Ideally I would also consider moving the seat rearward a small amount too. this is where it may make sense to make a welded bracket that makes all the changes but still mounts into the same seat holes. If I get it figured out, I will send pictures. I would like to have the car lowered 2 inches and the seat lowered 1 inch inside the car.
keeva381 wroteTotally understood, but i guess we just wonder what is the situation. Just couisou. I am on the short side, 5’6”-5’7”. My seat height setting is at the lowest. I wish I can go lower.Thanks for the post - I promise if the seat adjustment was able to be reached via the controls,I wouldn’t have posted here!
.
